James Relly

James Relly, (born c. 1722, Jeffreston, Pembrokeshire, Wales—died April 25, 1778, London, Eng.), Welsh Methodist minister and revivalist who influenced the development of Universalism, a theological position held by some Christians, according to which all human souls will achieve salvation. Relly argued that Jesus Christ’s unity with all human beings, his assumption of their guilt, and his endurance of the punishment for their sins ensures that the entire human race will be saved. In his Union; or, A Treatise of the Consanguinity and Affinity Between Christ and His Church (1759), Relly presented scriptural texts supporting the view that universal salvation is assured. He profoundly influenced the English Methodist John Murray (1741–1815), who worked to spread Universalism in the United States.